:D if you do a search on subjects including the name Donnie Brasco, you will find at least a dozen


anyway, after a long time I have seen it again today (I'm working my way through my dvd collection last couple of days).

I am realy delighted with Al Pacino in this one. We all seem to praise him for his work in the seventies (four consecutive oscar nods), and after his quite eighties he might have had some sort of a comeback in the nineties: another Godfather, his final oscar win and the climax of all, the confrontation with DeNiro in Heat. After that he has not been that great too often, but I think in DB he is. He gives the character such great characteristics, whereas other characters are 'just movie characters', he really made something special out of Lefty. Reminded me of Tony Montana a bit, altough Tony was mroe brutal, and more a winner instead of a loser.

I think it's one of the few famous mafia films that realy relies on the real mafia organization (in Goodfellas, all we know about the real mafia is that Billy Batts is a 'made member' and all, in Casino the real members stay at home); here we can explicitly see a little bit of the hierarchy in LCN.

And I love all the mob-slang Pacino introduces Donnie to.


fugazy
goombah
fuggedaboutit
fazul (sp?)

anyone can help me out with more, and proper spelling?

Yep! That was the major misleading thing in the movie. But you gotta give Lefty props, he was a stand up guy all the way to the end.

Donnie Brasco is one of the most underrated films of the past decade. It came during the time of Goodfellas, and was generally overlooked and forgotten. But as someone mentioned earlier, I enjoyed this film much more then Goodfellas. It is not shot or told with the same flair as Scorsese's masterpiece, but the acting is just as good, if not better than that in Goodfellas, and the plot is better, in my opinion. Pacino is Oscar-worthy in this film, folks. He puts on a tour-de-force performance, but over the top hysterics and subtleties that were rather uncommon at that stage in his career. It features one of the best-acted scenes in Pacino's illustrious career: his conversation with Depp after Christmas dinner. The subtelty is spot on for the lovable loser "Lefty" Ruggiero. Check it out.

I am glad someone started this thread. As I said, I feel that this film is a "hidden gem". My score is a 9 of 10. The only thing that keeps it from being a perfect film is the generally bland way it is presented. Had Scorsese gotten his hands on this cast and script, this would certainly be seen as one of the best films of the past decade.

I AGREE TOTALLY with what Hollywood Hagan says, especially (Pacino's) acting. He explained it better than I did.

I saw this movie on the weekend and I gotta say fahgettaboutit. I never heard of mob guys like Joseph Pistone & Lefty and what they did until I watched this film. I give it 8/10.

Donnie Brasco inspired the short lived Falcone television series on CBS.

was that a good show (usually, when they live short they don't, and then after they never get overseas)?

anyone have a pic of the real "donnie brasco?"

try This link. The Reel and Real face of Donnie Brasco.

GoodFella

wow Al Pacino really looks like the real Lefty.

the other ones don't, Depp and Madsen are better looking.

great site by the way, Goodfellaoggie

wondering whether i should get the donnie brasco dvd. i already have the vhs version. how are the special features on the dvd, i noticed there were deleted scenes and a documentary.

I own the dvd, and I say it is a good buy. I think that there is two documentaries, and one of the shows Pistone (Donnie Brasco), they are really pretty good. The deleted scenes are a nice addition to the dvd as well. There is also some other goodies like I think a (maybe) commentary and actor profiles. So I say, if you like the movie a lot, I would get it. Also, it is shown in widescreen, which is the sure way to go.

Riley